“And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

I read several genealogy blogs and many of the folks writing those blogs talk about their research and how several family members often work together to get the job done. And I frequently hear that genealogy is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States. Well, guess what… other than the folks behind these blogs, I don’t personally know another soul who is actively engaged in family history research! I have an uncle who is somewhat interested, but is so busy with his church activities and caring for my ailing aunt that he really doesn’t have much time for anything else. And that’s ok. Another aunt once did some research but not in several years. And that’s about it for my little part of the world.

So how to get folks interested? We all know how addicting and all-consuming the hunt can be once we get started, but where to begin. What can I do to encourage my own family to get involved?

Maybe there is a way….

Genealogy Addiction has a great idea: a family history newsletter! Something that I could create and email 2-3 times per year, and that would include tidbits from our family’s past, as well as current happenings. The newsletter would be sent to my “regular” family, as well as all the “new” cousins I have met through my research.

This seems like a great way to share what I’ve learned with all of my family, and I might even manage to pick up some new photos, documents and family stories!

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One thought on “What a great idea!”

I love the idea of a newsletter, but the reality of maintaining the schedule is tough. I use a blog – Moultrie Creek – to provide family stories and other fun tidbits. I’ve got it set up so each family member is emailed a copy of each post. We also have a private Yahoo! Group to send notifications on upcoming birthdays and anniversaries. Not only has this kept the family interested, but the blog has even helped attract some distant cousins!